Coin
by Hallenee
Summary: Harry defeated Voldemort at a cost. Now he must live with Snape until he learns to manage with his new disability. Possibly slash, possibly mentorship. Depends on feedback. HIATUS
1. Home

"Severus! You have to!" cried an exasperated Albus Dumbledore, "How else will he make up the work that he has missed?"

Severus knew that Albus was fed up. But then he had been trying to convince him for the past 10 hours that looking after The Boy–Who–Lived-To-Make–Snape's–Life-Hell this summer was a good idea. Even a saint would be fed up by now.

Dumbledore took a deep breathe and then started again more calmly.

"You know that you are the best for the job. You can teach him everything that he needs to make up. And I know you aren't going on holiday so that won't be a problem and you will be on your own in the house so he will not get in the way,"

"And because I worked with him in the build up to the final battle you feel it will do him some good to be around people he knows and trusts?" Severus asked.

"Yes. You got quite close in the fight and now with his disability he needs to be around people he can trust and who will treat him well but not fuss over him. He is very proud and independent. This is why I couldn't send him to the Weasley's. Molly would mother him too much," Albus responded.

"I don't have much choice in the matter do I?" Severus snapped back.

"So you are doing it then. Good, good. Let's go down to the Hospital Wing and tell Mr. Potter of his arrangements this summer," Albus said and started to lead Severus down the stairs.

When they walked into the Hospital Wing Harry had just finished getting ready for the end of year feast and was sitting on his bed.

"Hello Harry. How are you?" Proffessor Dumbledore asked.

"Fine thank you Professor. How are you?" Harry replied.

"I am fine also. Now Severus and I have come to a little agreement. You are to stay with Severus over the summer and he is to teach you what you missed so you can take your OWLs and move on to your 6th year," Albus said.

"Not by choice," Severus muttered from beside Harry making him jump.

"Does that mean that I am not going back to the Dursley's this summer?" Harry asked sounding hopeful.

"Yes Harry. You're staying with me instead," Severus said.

Then Harry did something really unexpected. He reached up and hugged Severus.

"Thank you so much Sev. That's brilliant," Harry exclaimed.

"I think that the End of Year Feast will be starting soon. Severus can you give Harry a hand here. I'll see you both there," Albus said and with that he was out of the Hospital Wing before either of the younger men could answer.

"Come on then Harry. Wouldn't want to keep those friends of yours waiting would we?"

The noise in the Great Hall was deafening but as soon as Harry and Severus stepped through the doors a heavy silence fell on the students. They walked up to the Gryffindor table. Severus helped Harry to sit down and then went up to his place at the Head table next to Prof. Dumbledore.

"Hey Harry. When did you get out of the Hospital Wing?" asked Hermione his best friend.

"Just now. It took a lot of persuasion on Dumbledore's part to let me come though. Oh guess what I just found out? I'm to have extra teaching to catch up on what I miss! Isn't that just brilliant. It means I'll be staying here all summer," Harry exclaimed excited.

"I think it's unfair that you have to make up what you missed. I mean you killed You-Know-Who and lost your e…"Neville trailed off after receiving deathly glares from his friends.

"I agree with Neville. I mean you killed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and yet you are still expected to do your schoolwork!" Seamus said hurriedly trying to cover what Neville was about to say.

Just then Dumbledore stood up.

"As you have all eaten I will begin my speech. It is rather long this year so I hope you have had enough to not die from starvation. The first item I believe is quite good news. Mr. Arthur Weasley has taken over as Minister of Magic and has changed the law meaning that under aged wizards and witches can do magic at home, so long as it isn't in front of muggles. The next thing I would like to do is remember the families and students who have died in this war. Although Voldemort is gone, there is still a way to go before peace reigns fully. Let this be a warning to everyone, if we had not grown complacent on security during the thirteen years that Voldemort was hiding then more could have been saved. To end our year though, I would like to propose a toast to the person who defeated Voldemort. At a great personal cost, I might add. Harry Potter!" With this the whole school, minus the boy in the limelight, who was, at this moment, attempting to perform the impossible and get the floor to swallow him up, rose and offered their goblets to the Boy-Who-Defeated-He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

So what do you think? Any good? This is only a very small starter chapter. The next ones will be much longer. That is if any one wants them….


	2. Conversation

**Thank you to all my reviewers. You are very lovely people!**

**wwwendy: **You aren't the only person who wants a Snape mentors Harry fic so that's how it'll probably end up. Never written one of them before so I may need a few helpful hints along the way… Thank you!

**hailmags: **Thank you for reviewing. I'm glad you liked it.

**Opal: **Yep you got it right; although you're gonna find that out this chapter anyway.

**Anon:** Thank you

**Phoenix 5:** I hope this is up quick enough for you? Thanks for encouragement.

**Jayne: **Thank you for reviewing.

**UnderOathPunk:** Harry called him Sev because a) he was excited by the offer and b) they have spent time together whilst he was training for the war so he would feel a bit more comfortable calling him Sev. Although you will find out later that he used to call him Severus rather than Sev in these times. Thank you for reviewing. I hope they get less OOC for you.

**I actually wrote this story about 3 years ago on a whim and haven't really edited it much so the writing style may change a bit now. I hope my writing has matured over the past few years! Thank you again to all the reviewers and I hope you enjoy this chapter too. I'm giving up an essay on Marxism to do this! **

* * *

The next morning dawned bright and it looked to be a very warm day. However, for the inhabitants of the dungeon this fact was irrelevant. The older man was too busy packing some very dangerous and rare ingredients away ready for the move back to his ancestral home for him to notice the weather. The younger man was still asleep in the bed he had borrowed over night, although, even if he was awake he would have been unable to see because, during the climatic end to the spread of evil, this young man who had valiantly defeated the one being no one else could, had also lost his eyesight.

Of course, they wouldn't stay ignorant for too long. Before half an hour had passed both men were ready and dressed. The only thing left was to eat breakfast and this meant going to the Great Hall. The older man found this highly distasteful. The noise was overpowering to him. The younger man wasn't too fond of the experience either. He had never been comfortable with his fame and now it had got worse he was even less comfortable with the though to go to the Hall.

Nevertheless, soon they were there and thankfully, the younger man's friends formed a safety ring around him to stop the adoring masses from gaining access. Although, this had no affect later on when the Gryffindors were given a reminder by their stern Head of House that they did need to have their bags packed for the train which most had yet to do… So, it was here that the older man felt the need to step in.

* * *

"If you miscreants are all finished doting over Mr Potter? Good. Mr Potter we must leave now. Say goodbye to your friends," came a sarcastic and rather, to the Hogwarts students crowding around Harry, cold voice. Of course to Harry, it sounded like Angels singing. He had always hated being a celebrity and that had not changed just because the Dark Lord was vanquished. Ron and Hermione had opened their mouths to ask where Harry was going but a fierce glare from Snape quickly shut them up. "If any of you have managed over the past 16 years to learn how to owl then I'm sure whatever obviously _highly important_ matters you must tell him can be easily conveyed. Mr Potter we are leaving. Now,"

* * *

As soon as they were out of sight and earshot, Harry turned to Severus. "Was the dramatic ness really necessary?" Although inwardly he was amused at how no one had said a word but just kept their mouths shut. Even as they approached adulthood, everyone was still petrified of the Potions Professor.

"You're vocabulary still astounds me. ' Dramaticness' is not a word. Nevertheless, yes, it was required. Or did you really want to be crushed under that disgusting display of 'affection'?" The word affection was sneered rather sarcastically. Although Harry and Severus had got closer, Severus' personality was not just bitter and twisted around Hogwarts. It was bitter and twisted all the time. Harry had got used to this over the time Severus had spent training him for his final battle and Severus had started to respect Harry for his will to fight and live so was no longer venomous and malicious as he had been before. Of course, no one else had been present for this and so to anyone passing it would seem that Snape was verbally abusing Harry. However, once they were in private it was a different matter.

"I suppose you're right. As always."

"I'm just amazing. What did you expect?"

"Ha ha Severus. Thanks for rescuing me,"

"Not a problem Harry. When will they grow a backbone though? I'm not terrifying am I? Don't answer that! And don't snicker either Brat. Dumbledore wants me to teach you what you've missed over the past year with training and then being unconscious…"

"Wasn't like I did it on purpose," Harry interrupted.

"May I finish?" Severus asked.

"Be my guest. I'm just amused that Dumbledore gave you the task. I though he was over his whole 'you have to bond and get over your differences' thing ages ago," Harry mused.

"I'm the only member of staff who can help you with your blindness. My younger sister, Elsie, is blind. At that is where my teaching will have to start. There are spells to read out owls for you and make an ordinary quill into a dictaquill. No don't worry these actually write what you say unlike Ms Skeeters. You also have to get used to moving around with a stick. Or we could get a you a dog. Just not your godmutt. You will have to stay out of the way when I'm working with Potions though. Albus didn't get quite how, shall we say tempestuous, some of the potions I make get. Especially the experimental ones…" Severus trailed off. An idea had just come to him. He had been working on a cure for his sister's blindness for many years and now he had another test subject. This could help him with his progress as he wouldn't have to get his sister to stay overnight to test the new batch of potion.

* * *

**This took me ages to write as it was only a padding chapter. I now have a plot though for this so the next chapters shouldn't be so hard to write. **


	3. Dobby's Present

**Coin **

Harry woke up to feel the warmth of a fire against his skin and fur against his cheek. Groggily he sat up and found himself in Severus' quarters on his couch. Frowning he realised he must have dosed off whilst waiting for the man to finishing packing. Did it really take that long to pack ingredients? He had started at 6 o'clock that morning!

Harry was just about to stand up and go hunt down the owner of the rooms when the man in question walked in holding a very small box.

"I see you've woken up from your little nap then?" the severe man enquired, "A small elf called Dobby handed this to me,"

The man placed the box into Harry's hands. Harry cautiously fumbled for the opening of the box and very slowly put his hand. Knowing Dobby it was just as likely to be a poisonous snake as a kitten! It wasn't a snake inside though, unless you got small fluffy snakes with 4 legs and a little velvety tongue. Harry scooped up the creature inside and got him out. It was a small Crup. A puppy one with a small forked tail. Harry was touched by the fact that Dobby had bought him his own dog. He had never been allowed a pet when he was younger as Dudley would have killed it. Crup's were also meant to be very loyal to their owners and would eat Muggles.

Severus, however, was eyeing the creature in distaste. Crup's would eat anything and everything. Even furniture wasn't safe. He would have to figure out a way of saving his house. Especially from his potions ingredients which could be deadly to the small dog. He wondered if Harry would mind him using a small amount of the fur in his potions. Crup's fur was especially potent in potions concerning love and loyalty, potions that Severus used to strengthen his wards each year.

Putting the though away for the moment, Severus noticed what the time was and realised that his house elves would be annoyed that he was late for lunch if he didn't hurry. Severus really did not like being told of by his house elves, even if they had raised him! Harry would need his strength after all. They had a long day ahead of them teaching Harry spells to navigate and how to use a stick.

"Come on Harry. We need to get going. Unless you want to take a portkey then we have to go to the edge of the wards. I can't floo us all through from this side,"

"Come on then Severus. I have my trunk packed and ready,"

With that the man, boy and dog were off. The school was empty as they walked through it as the other pupils had just left to catch the Hogwarts Express home. By the time that they had reached the edge of the wards, Severus was ready to go home. It had been a long and difficult year ending spectacularly with the Final Battle in which the young boy travelling with him had given up all that he had left to defeat the monster that had plagued him all his life.

AN Sorry this is such a short chapter. I felt I had to get something up but I'm completely inspiration less at the moment. When I finally get my Muse back (and some reviews) I shall write more. Promise! Thank you for reading this though.


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